Azalea plant named ‘RLH1-2P8’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Azalea  plant named ‘RLH1-2P8’, characterized by its compact, upright, spreading and globose plant habit; freely branching habit; dense, bushy and vigorous growth habit; evergreen and persistent dark green-colored leaves that do not abscise during the winter; freely flowering habit during spring and from summer until frost in autumn; large ruffled dark pink-colored flowers that are not persistent; double flower form; and excellent garden performance.

Botanical designation: Rhododendron hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘RLH1-2P8’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Azalea plant, botanically known as Rhododendron hybrida, an evergreen Azalea, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘RLH1-2P8’.

The new Azalea plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Long Creek, Oconee County, S.C. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact evergreen Azalea plants having large attractive flowers, good foliage retention during the winter, consistent summer reblooming qualities and cold hardiness.

The new Azalea plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventors in 1996, in Long Creek, Oconee County, S.C., of a proprietary selection of Rhododendron hybrida identified as code number RLH-1900-RP, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Rhododendron hybrida ‘Watchet’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Azalea plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Long Creek, Oconee County, S.C. in 2000.

Asexual reproduction of the new Azalea plant by semi-hardwood stem cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Long Creek, Oconee County, S.C. since 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Azalea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Azalea have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘RLH1-2P8’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘RLH1-2P8’ as a new and distinct Azalea cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact, upright, spreading and globose plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense, bushy and vigorous growth         habit.     -   3. Evergreen and persistent dark green-colored leaves that do         not abscise during the winter.     -   4. Freely flowering habit during spring and from summer until         frost in autumn.     -   5. Large ruffled dark pink-colored flowers that are not         persistent.     -   6. Double flower form.     -   7. Excellent garden performance.

Plants of the new Azalea differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Azalea are more freely branching than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Azalea are more freely flowering than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Azalea have larger flowers than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   4. Plants of the new Azalea have double flowers whereas plants         of the female parent selection have semi-double flowers.     -   5. Plants of the new Azalea and the female parent selection         differ slightly in flower color.

Plants of the new Azalea differ from plants of the male parent, ‘Watchet’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Azalea are more upright than plants of         ‘Watchet’.     -   2. Plants of the new Azalea have double flowers whereas plants         of ‘Watchet’ have single flowers.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Azalea are dark pink in color         whereas flowers of plants of ‘Watchet’ are light coral pink in         color.

Plants of the new Azalea can be compared to the plants of ‘Robleg’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,227. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Long Creek, Oconee County, S.C., plants of the new Azalea differed from plants of ‘Robleg’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Azalea were broader and more freely         branching than plants of ‘Robleg’.     -   2. Plants of the new Azalea were more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Robleg’.     -   3. Plants of the new Azalea had double flowers whereas plants of         ‘Robleg’ had single flowers.     -   4. Plants of the new Azalea had larger flowers than plants of         ‘Robleg’.     -   5. Plants of the new Azalea flowered during the spring, summer         and autumn whereas plants of ‘Robleg’ flowered only in the         spring and autumn.     -   6. Flowers of plants of the new Azalea were dark pink in color         whereas flowers of plants of ‘Robleg’ were white in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Azalea plant. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Azalea plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘RLH1-2P8’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘RLH1-2P8’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Long Creek, Oconee County, S.C. in 5.7-liter containers, in a polypropylene-covered shade house during the late summer and under commercial production conditions. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from −5° C. to 40° C. and night temperatures ranged from −25° C. to 35° C. Plants used for the photographs were five years old and plants used for the description were two years old. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Rhododendron hybrida ‘RLH1-2P8’. -   Commercial classification: Evergreen-type Azalea. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Rhododendron hybrida identified as code number RLH-1900-RP,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Rhododendron hybrida ‘Watchet’, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By semi-hardwood stem cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 25 to 30 days at             temperatures of 27° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 35 to 45 days at             temperatures of 16° C. to 17° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 60 to 70             days at temperatures of 27° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 80 to             100 days at temperatures of 16° C. to 17° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; initially white, close to             155C, in color becoming closer to 159C and eventually 164A             with development.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial and evergreen             flowering shrub; compact, upright, outwardly spreading and             globose plant habit; freely branching habit; dense, bushy             and vigorous growth habit; moderate growth rate; freely             flowering habit with numerous showy double flowers.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about six to             eight basal branches developing on one year old plants;             pinching (removal of terminal apex) will enhance lateral             branch development.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of flowers.—About 30 cm to             45 cm.         -   Plant diameter, area of spread.—About 35 cm to 40 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 5 cm to 20 cm.             Diameter at base: About 2 mm to 4.5 mm. Internode length:             About 3 mm to 19 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright and             outwardly positioned. Texture, developing: Setulose             pubescence. Texture, mature: Woody; pubescent. Color,             developing: Close to 178C. Color, semi-hardwood: Close to             144A; becoming closer to 165B with development. Color,             mature: Close to 165A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Foliage             retention: Very good winter foliage retention has been             observed on plants of the new Azalea. Length: About 2 cm to             5 cm. Width: About 1 cm to 2.9 cm. Shape: Obelliptic to             elliptic. Apex: Subacute to rounded; mucronulate. Base:             Cuneate to attenuate; slightly oblique. Margin: Entire;             slightly revolute; ciliate. Venation pattern: Pinnate;             reticulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent;             coriaceous, tough. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface:             Darker than 139A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to             138A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than             136A; venation, close to N144C. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 137C; venation, close to 144D. Petiole:             Length: About 5 mm to 8 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm to 1.8 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color:             Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 144B. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 145A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Natural flowering season.—Spring, April to May, and then             re-flowering during the summer and autumn, July to October,             until frost in South Carolina.         -   Flower arrangement and appearance.—Double flowers arranged             in clusters at terminals and sub-terminals with usually             about one to three flower buds and two to three flowers per             cluster; uniform and freely flowering habit; flowers face             upward or outward.         -   Flower appearance.—Flowers rotate and rose-like; double             flower form with an outer whorl of five petals and a center             whorl of ten petals and an inner whorl of five to ten             petaloids (transformed stamens) of varying sizes and shapes.         -   Flower longevity.—Durable and long-lasting; flowers last             about five to ten days on the plant and about three to five             days as a cut flower; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower diameter.—About 9 cm to 10 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 5 cm to 6.5 cm.         -   Flower bud (before showing color).—Length: About 1 cm to             1.7 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm to 11 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color:             Close to 143C.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Double flowers have an outer whorl of             five petals, fused at the base forming a wide funnel-shaped             corolla and a center whorl of ten petals. Length, outer             whorl: About 4 cm to 4.5 cm. Width, outer whorl: About 4 cm             to 4.7 cm. Length, center whorl: About 3.5 cm to 4 cm.             Width, center whorl: About 3 cm to 3.7 cm. Shape: Broadly             ovate to orbicular. Apex: Rotund, slightly revolute to             involute; undulate and ruffled. Margin: Entire; slightly             revolute to involute; undulate, ruffled to crisped. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; rugulose; waxy             to velvety in appearance. Color: When opening, upper             surface: Close to 61D; spots and speckles, close to 61B.             When opening, lower surface: Close to N57D. Fully opened,             upper surface: Close to N57D; spots and speckles, close to             61B. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to N57D.         -   Petaloids.—Arrangement: Single inner whorl of five to ten             petaloids, fused at the base, variable in size and shape.             Length: About 3.5 cm to 4.2 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm to 2 cm.             Shape: Lunulate to piano-convex; unevenly bisected. Apex:             Rotund. Base: Cuneate to attenuate. Margin: Entire to             lobulate; undulate, wavy to crisped; slightly involute to             revolute. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; rugulose; waxy to velvety in appearance. Color:             When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 61D. Fully             opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to N57D.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Five to six in a single whorl, fused at             the base forming a campanulate to star-shaped corona.             Length: About 4 mm to 4.5 mm. Width: About 3.2 mm to 4.5 mm.             Shape: Orbicular to ovate. Apex: Obtuse to rounded. Base:             Rounded and fused. Margin: Entire; ciliate. Texture, upper             surface: Lightly covered with sericeous pubescence. Texture,             lower surface: Densely covered with sericeous pubescence.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 mm to 2.5 mm. Diameter: About 2.8             mm to 3.2 mm. Angle: Mostly upright. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144D; at maturity, close             to N167A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 8.5 mm to 12 mm. Diameter: About 1.9             mm to 2.4 mm. Angle: Upright to outwardly. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 63A; at maturity, close             to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity of stamens per             flower: About five to ten. Filament length: About 2.8 cm to             3 cm. Filament color: Close to 61D. Anther shape: Porandrous             with four oblong, tubular to lunate-shaped pollen sacks             basifixed to the filament. Anther length: About 1.8 mm to             2 mm. Anther color: Close to N167A. Pollen amount: Moderate.             Pollen color: Close to 11D. Gynoecium: Pistil length: About             3.8 cm to 4.7 cm. Stigma shape: Round to flattened             (capitate). Stigma color: Close to 59B. Style length: About             3.6 cm to 4.5 cm. Style color: Close to 63A. Ovary color:             Close to 132A.         -   Fruits.—Quantity per plant: About three to five. Length:             About 8 mm to 11 mm. Diameter: About 7 mm to 8 mm. Texture:             Slightly rugulose to scabridulose; glandular, setaceous.             Color: Close to 137B; at maturity, close to 165A.         -   Seeds.—Quantity per fruit: About 200 to 500. Length: About 1             mm to 1.5 mm. Diameter: About 0.2 mm to 0.3 mm. Color: Close             to 165B. -   Weather/temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Azalea have been     observed to be very tolerant to rain and wind. Plants of the new     Azalea have been observed to tolerate temperatures from about     −25° C. to about 40° C. and are suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 6     to 9. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants have not been observed to be     resistant to pathogens and pests common to Azaleas. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Azalea plant named ‘RLH1-2P8’ as illustrated and described. 